Car washing apparatus



June 26, 1951 J. F. WILCOX 2,558,472

CAR WASHING APPARATUS Filed May 17, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet 1- Fig.

James F. Wilcox I N VEN TOR.

June 26, 1951 J. F. WILCOX 2,553,472

CAR WASHING APPARATUS Filed May 17. 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 James F. Wilcox A INVENTOR.

- MMZQMI June 26, 1951 J. F. WILCOX 2,558,472

CAR WASHING APPARATUS Filed May 17, 1950 A 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 James F. Wilcox INVENTOR.

Patented June 26, 1951 (UNIT-ED STATES rs-TENT OFFICE CAR WASHING APPARATUS "James F. Wilcox, Ottawa, 111., assignor of twenty per cent to Joseph E. Lanuti, Ottawa, Ill.

lgApplication May 17, 1950,- serialNo. 162,507

9jQl'aims. Cl. 134-100) 'Ifhis invention, relates to, a .car r washing, ,apav lab e-h m an f r eadi yi n controlling the spraying and rinsing pperation .in a simple manner.

A vi l nt o t i v n n i li -intends a car -:,Washing apparatus having. a 4 central. control system; whereby the device may be readily controll ed and the ,v automobiles to v be washed may w read ly spra e ith 1 w e .a s ap awater mix, or; suchsolution as desired.

u t r obj c of th i ven ionis to. provid a novel system, for; supporting a spray unit in imm r suc h l ra u siszr adi y movable by an endless belt,conveyorl over, the a e et of the c s s e essaryiastfll .lanothel" bject of this invention-is: to pr vi pne ma means L for by forcin iaisoapy watermix ,towthe, spray unit so U thatosuch may be applied to the outer, surfaceof the car-ins an .iefilci n l m nn r.

A;- i ,f ther .object jof this 1 invention i is; .to provide agsp faycunit having, attached thereto :Lilexible hose, unit for enabling the under portions of; the car such. as -the wheelsilf nder: skirts; and lik t m easilyvlwa hed. v

Stil1;;jurtherl-yobjeotsi'of the ,1 invention reside the; p ovision ofaha car washing apparatusithat strong; durable, highly efficient. in operation, 1 1n nstructionand manufacturancapable of-b ng readily installed inadesired washrack gOnroom; and which will be relatively inexpensive i operat need n a @m n umamountlof .labor ;to 60131318136. the washing operation.

These, togetherl with the various. ancillary objects of the invention which willhbecomenapparent as the following description, proceedsa are attained bythis car washing, apparatns a preiferred embodiment of which is: illustrated in J the accompanying drawings byway; pf;eXaII1lQle Qonly, wherein:

.fFigure 1, is, agplan view, of g the -carwashin apparat s omp is n h l p e en i ention;

Figure 2 is ,a side elevational viewl flfzvthe car as in a a tus;

.4 FigureBis. afront eleyational viewof, th pray unitused in thepresent invention;

lifigurenlis an enlarged partial, view of the spray, unit;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional detguilgastaken along line 5-5 of Figure f1;

f Figure dis an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along line) 676 of Figure; 4;

i urei 7 ,.is an enlarged detail xshowing the 's onaofl, thelsprar inni an thep zz iused m the present invention and,

2 Figure 8,.is an enlarged sectional view aswtaken alongline 8-8 in Figure '7.

HWith continuing reference to theaccompanying .drawings wherein like reference numerals designatesimilar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral Ill designates a wash rackcroom into which an automobile may be readily ,olriventhrough an opening or passageway l2. Extending longitudinally between the walls either room it are substantially channel-shaped trackways M within which bearing rollers 16 :arepivotally mounted on the ends of the pair .of spacedesupport members IB. In actuality, the rollers 16 are secured to telescoping members. 20 held Within two tube members Hand held inplaceby set screws 24 in a manner permitting easy. adjustment of the spray unit in lcludinglthe support members in order that the support:members may be used for car washing apparatus having trackways i lwhich are spaced apart a varying distance within limits.

Interconnectingthe two tube members 22 and .terminallylwelded thereto are spacer members 26, to these spacer members 26 there is secured .asubstantially inverted U-shaped spray unit 28 by means of clamps -36. In addition, to the members 22 thereare welded eyes32 to which are attached links or a chain be1t'34 thusenablingthe spray apparatus to form one link of an endless belt conveyor which is entrained about pulley wheels 36 and 38 and which is driven by a suitable electric motor 3Qwhich is reversible and; which is controlled by a switch 40.

The spray unit 28 consists of a hollow tubular conduit closed atleach end and having a plurality of apertures therein about which clamps 42 are secured and .inwhich the clamp nozzlesas indicated generally at 44 are emplaced. The nozzles as are spray nozzles of two different sizes and arealternately placed throughout the spray unit 28. V Adjacent the lower portions of the spray unit 28 there are attached flexible conduits 4S and pressure control valves comprising handlactuated, pressure valves 48. The flexible conduits 46 and the pressure valves are used when it isqdesired to washthe wheels or other lower portions of the automobile during the washing operations which are performed on the car or other vehicle.

.p A bracket 53 is mounted substantially centrally in the room it and has pivotally connected thereto pipes 52 and 54. A flexible hose 56 connects the pipe 54 with the spray unit 28 and the pipe 52 is connected through a joint 58 to a conduit Elli leading to awater supply means. The switch actuated valve 82 is provided for controlling the passage of water into the pipe 52 and hence into the spray unit 28.

There is provided a reservoir 64 in whicha soap solution can be in place and which is connected through a pressure regulator 56 to a compressed air supply for placing the solution into the spray unit 28. A primary actuated valve 68 controls the now of fluid from the tank '54 and the tank is connected to a suitable conduit and valve H! to the water supply. A master switch 12 is provided for controlling the operation of the whole machine and individual switches 14 and T6 are provided for controlling the actuated valves 62 and 68 respectively.

The car washing apparatus is operated in the following manner:

An automobile is driven into the wash rack room iii and is centered in the spray unit 28. The

switch ?8 is actuated and the sprayer is moved longitudinally over the car by actuating the switch 4%. The water spray covers the entire surface of an automobile and the effect thereof is to normalize the temperature of the surface being cleaned. That is, the water temperature normaliy varied between 68 and 72 and creates the same temperature on the surface of the vehicle. This will wet the surface of the car completely. The control switch 74 is then shut off and the soap mix control valve 76 is actuated. The water contained in the reservoir .64 is then urged through the spray unit 28 and a car is thus washed with the soapy solution. Then the entire outside surface or the car may be rubbed by such individuals as is necessary and then rinsed by turningon the valve 14 and spraying the car as may be necessary. The precise means and manner of rinsing or spraying the car is of course optional upon completion of the rinsing, the car may then be backed out of the rack room and either dried thoroughly with turkish towels and chamois or may be left to dry.

Since from the foregoing the construction and advantages of the car washing apparatus will be readily apparent, further description is believed to be unnecessary.

However, since numerous modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the invention to the exact embodiment shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1; A car washing device comprising a pair of spaced trackways, an endless conveyor suspended in parallel relationship to said tracks, a spray apparatus movably carried by said trackways, said apparatus being connected to said conveyor, and means for activating said conveyor to control the movements of said apparatus, said spray apparatus including a pair of spaced support elements,

bearing means secured to the ends of said elements, said bearings engaging said tra'ckways, spacer members extending between and terminally secured to said support elements, and a substantially inverted U-shaped spray unit detachably secured to said spacer members.

' 2. A car washing device comprising a pair of spaced tr'ackways, an endless conveyor suspended in parallel relationship to said tracks, a spray apparatus movably carried by said trackways, said apparatus being connected to said conveyor, and means for activating said convey rto cont ol the movements of said apparatus, said spray apparatus including a pair of spaced support elements, bearing means secured to the ends of said elements, said bearings engaging said trackways, spacer members extending between and terminally secured to said support elements, a substantially inverted U-shaped spray unit detachably secured to said spacer members, means selectively connecting a water supply conduit to said spray unit, a soap mix reservoir, means for selectively opening and closing communication between said reservoir and said spray unit, and pneumatic means for forcing said soap mix through said spray unit.

3. A car washingdevice comprising a pair of spaced trackways, an endless conveyor suspended in parallel relationship to said tracks, a spray apparatus movably carried by said trackways,

said apparatus being connected to said conveyor,

and means for activating said conveyor to control the movements of said apparatus, said spray apparatus including a pair of spaced support elements, bearing means secured to the ends of said elements, said bearings engaging said trackways, spacer members extending between and terminally secured to'said support elements, a substantially inverted U-shaped spray unit detachably secured to said spacer members, means selectively connecting a water supply conduit to said spray unit, a soap mix reservoir, means for selectively openin'g'and closing communication between said reservoir and said spray unit, said last recited means including a solenoid actuated valve, and pneumatic means for forcing said soap mix through said spray unit.

4. A car washing device comprising a pair of spaced trackways, an endless conveyor suspended in parallel relationship to said tracks, a spray apparatus movably carried by said trackways, said apparatus being connected to said conveyor, and means for activating said conveyor to control the movements of said apparatus, said spray apparatus including apair of spaced support elements, bearing means secured to the endsof said elements, said bearings engaging said trackways, spacer members extending between and terminally secured to saidsupport elements, and a substantiallyinverted U-shaped spray unit detachably secured to said spacer members, said spray unit having a central connecting member extending transversely between said trackways.

5. A car washing device comprising a pair of spaced trackways, an endless conveyor suspended in parallel relationship to said tracks, a spray apparatus movably carried by said trackways, said apparatus being connected to said conveyor, and means for activating said conveyor to control the movements of said apparatus, said spray apparatus including a pair of spaced support elements, bearing means secured'to the ends of said elements, said bearings engaging said trackways, spacer members extending between and leg portions connected to said central connecting members, and flexible conduits secured to saidleg portions.

6. A car washing device comprisinga pair of spaced trackwaya an endless conveyor suspended in parallel relationship to said tracks, a spray apparatus movably carried by said spparatusbeins.resuscitate.sa d

said trackwaya and means for activating said conveyor to control the movements of said apparatus, said spray apparatus including a pair of spaced support elements, bearing means secured to the ends of said elements, said bearings engaging said trackways, spacer members extending between and terminally secured to said support elements, a substantially inverted U-shaped spray unit detachably secured to said spacer members, said spray unit having a central connecting member extending transversely between said trackways, leg portions connected to said central connecting member, and flexible conduits secured to said leg portions, means selectively connecting a water supply conduit to said spray unit, a soap mix reservoir, means for selectively opening and closing communication between said reservoir and said spray unit, and pneumatic means for forcing said soap mix through said spray unit.

'7. A carwashing device comprising a pair of spaced trackways, an endless conveyor suspended in parallel relationship to said tracks, a spray apparatus movably carried by said trackways, said apparatus being connected to said conveyor, and means for activating said conveyor to control the movements of said apparatus, said spray apparatus including a pair of spaced support elements, bearing means secured to the ends of said elements, said bearings engaging said trackways, spacer members extending between and terminally secured to said support elements, a substantially inverted U-shaped spray unit detachably secured to said spacer members, means selectively connecting a water supply conduit to said spray unit, a soap mix reservoir, means for selectively opening and closing communication between said reservoir and said spray unit, said last recited means including a solenoid actuated valve, and pneumatic means for forcing said soap mix through said spray unit, said spray unit having a central connecting member extending transversely between said trackways.

8. A car washing device comprising a pair of spaced trackways, an endless conveyor suspended in parallel relationship to said tracks, a spray apparatus movably carried by said trackways, said apparatus being connected to said conveyor, and means for activating said conveyor to control the movements of said apparatus, said spray apparatus including a pair of spaced support elements, bearing means secured to the ends of said elements, said bearings engaging said trackways, spacer members extending between and terminally secured to said support elements, a substantially inverted U-shaped spray unit detachably secured to said spacer members, means selectively connecting a water supply conduit to said spray unit, a soap mix reservoir, means for selectively opening and closing communication between said reservoir and said spray unit, said last recited means including a solenoid actuated valve, and pneumatic means for forcing said soap mix through said spray unit, said spray unit having a central connecting member extending transversely between said trackways, leg portions connected to said central connecting member, and flexible conduits secured to said leg portions.

9. A car washing device comprising a pair of spaced trackways, an endless conveyor suspended in parallel relationship to said tracks, a spray apparatus movably carried by said trackways, said apparatus being connected to said cohveyor, and means for activating said conveyor to control the movements of said apparatus, said spray apparatus including a pair of spaced support elements, bearing means secured to the ends of said elements, said bearings engaging said trackways, spacer members extending between and terminally secured to said support elements, a substantially inverted U-shaped stray unit detachably secured to said spacer members, means selectively connecting a water supply conduit to said spray unit, a soap mix reservoir, means for selectively opening and closing communication betwen said reservoir and said spray unit, and pneumatic means for forcing said soap mix through said spray unit, said means selectively connecting a Water supply unit to said spray unit including a pair of conduits and means rotatably mounting said pair of conduits above said spray unit.

JAMES F. WILCOX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,720,332 Kehoe July 9, 1929 1,931,444 Mackin Oct. 17, 1933 2,342,533 Edwards Feb. 23, 1944 2,465,562 Hopper Mar, 29, 1949 2,489,445 Benzuly Nov. 29, 1949 

